Carbon monoxide on the primitive Earth

Carbon monoxide on the primitive Earth

Van Trump James E.; Miller Stanley L.

Earth and Planetary Science Letters 20(1): 145-150

1973

The reaction of CO + OH in aqueous solution to give formate was studied as a carbon monoxide sink on the primitive earth and in the present ocean. The reaction is first order in OH and first order in the molar CO concentration. The second order rate constant is given by log k(M1hr1) = 15.834886/T between 25°C and 60°C. Using the solubility of CO in sea water, and assuming a pH of 8 for a primitive ocean of the present size, the halflife of CO in the atmosphere is calculated to be 12 × 106 yr at 0°C and 5.5 × 104 yr at 25°C.